Realm Runners

CHAPTER FOUR: The Dead Walk

28

MAR/11

Athena, Mentathenis and Droggle approach the graveyard as rain begins to pour. Droggle begins to get grumpy and complains about being hungry. He refuses to go forward without a warm meal and a mug of ale, and returns to Winterhaven to wait outside the gates. As Athena and Mentathenis move through the graveyards gates, they can see a strange blue glow emanating from the ground near the middle of the cemetery. Suddenly undead burst from their graves all around them and two Grave Hounds emerge from a large mausoleum, all seemingly being led by the dark haired elf from the tavern in town.

Finally arriving at the outskirts of Winterhaven, Megilwath Laress and his two friends, Krushi Thymebundle and Aces see the graveyard and the commotion within. They join with Mentathenis and Athena and help to best the undead and kill Ninaran the elf before she can escape. Upon her belongings they discover a note from Kalarel written in blood. It states that the password to access the second level of the keep is “From the ground, some magic was found.”

The 5 companions make their way back to the keep and towards the ethereal door. Along the way they reinvestigate the secret door they ran across prior but could not open. Megilwath is able to pick the mechanism and get them through. Inside they find some zombies which they destroy fairly quickly and a suit of armor that talks to them and asks of them a riddle. Upon solving the riddle, the suit of armor lights up and falls to the ground. They take the Black Iron Scale Armor +1.

Down to the second level of the keep they go. They encounter a score of Hobgoblins and a large Deathjump Spider in the first area, but are able to fend off their attacks and end them.

When the party is catching their breath, Megilwath notices something strange out of the corner of his eye. The Deathjump Spider is still moving slightly. It’s eyes look about and focus in on the drow. They begin to burn a fiery red and it attempts to stand and move towards him. It’s so badly mutilated that it can’t get far and collapses back to the ground. A gurgling scream emits from its throat and sounds vaguely like a language.

After wondering what just happened, the party continues on past a door that is boarded up and with the word “closed” written across it. They enter a room with statues and Megilwath manages to get caught in a whirlpool trap by four cherub statues. His friends manage to get him out before he drowns and they enter a room with many zombies, a ghoul and a small clay scout. The five companions make quick work of them and move through two large double doors into an expansive room filled with bluish glowing light.

Inside the cathedral area they encounter a bunch of Vampire Spawn, a Dark Creeper, three Berzerk Shar worshippers and an Underpriest of Shar.